Women’s soccer freshman contribute to strong start for team with 3-1 win over Columbia

Senior defender Hannah Kile looks for a place to aim the ball.

By Kai Olbrich

Photo credit: Josiah Seabaugh

Concordia’s women’s soccer team continued its strong start to the season on Aug. 23 with a 3-1 win over fourth-ranked Columbia. The unranked Bulldogs’ performance on the field quickly defied all expectations.

The Bulldogs had an aggressive start five minutes into the first half with a goal from freshman Guadalupe Sanchez. Her teammate, Elena Ruiz, who had the assist on the goal, said that new freshmen like Sanchez add new styles of play to the game, which helps the team’s chemistry on the field. Fellow freshman Abby Haynes said that many of her freshman teammates, like Sanchez, have a mature playing style and, in many ways, don’t play like they’re freshmen.

Columbia evened up the score with a goal twenty-two minutes into the first half but didn’t maintain the lead. Concordia’s Kierstynn Garner scored her second goal of the season off an assist from Gudalupe Sanchez, giving Concordia the lead and making the score 2-1. Haynes had high praise for her teammate Garner.

“She is a dominator,” Haynes said. “[She] has chemistry with everyone.”

Both Concordia and Columbia had a quieter second half with no score change at first, despite both teams having several shots on goal. With minutes left in the game, Charli Preister scored Concordia’s third and final goal, solidifying the 3-1 victory over Columbia.

According to Sanchez, the result gives them the belief that they can be successful throughout the season.

“It feels awesome starting the season off with such a big win because this just gives us more hope and belief that our team has a chance to make it far.”

Ruiz believes that being rated as the underdog helped them come into the game hungry and ready to prove a point.

“We were the team that’s not the best according to the votes, we felt like we had to come in stronger to prove people wrong, and we did.”

The Bulldogs stay undefeated on the season and look to keep their win streak going as they head into conference play, which begins on Sept. 20 away at Northwestern.